Oxford Vacmedix appoints Shanghai based PharmaLegacy to carry out the proof of concept work of both lead immunotherapy cancer vaccines, to support Phase 1 applications.

Oxford Vacmedix UK Limited (OVM), the UK-based biopharma company focused on the development of cancer vaccines, announced today that PharmaLegacy of Shanghai, China has been appointed to complete the proof of concept testing and support Phase 1 applications next year.

PharmaLegacy will focus on the proof of concept development of OVM’s two lead vaccines, OVM-100 and OVM-200, focusing on unmet clinical need. OVM-100 is an HPV vaccine targeted at cervical cancer, and OVM-200 represents a new type of vaccine utilising survivin to target solid tumours. Both vaccines will be tested as single agents and in combination with other immune-oncology (IO) agents.

Spun out from the University of Oxford, OVM is commercialising the research led by Dr Shisong Jiang and developed in Oxford University’s Department of Oncology. The technology uses the novel, proprietary platform of recombinant overlapping peptides to design and develop therapeutic cancer vaccines and diagnostics with the potential for increased efficacy, lower costs, simpler regulatory pathways and synergy when used in combination with other IO agents.

OVM secured Series A investment from Cancer ROP, a leading South Korean healthcare institution, listed in KOSDAQ, and from existing shareholders in China. The financing round represents the first time that a UK cancer vaccines company has been financed by both South Korean and Chinese investors.

William Finch, CEO and Director at OVM, said:

“We are very pleased to have such an experienced company as PharmaLegacy involved in this important phase in the development of our cancer vaccines. This work will be pivotal to OVM’s cancer vaccines being progressed to important clinical milestones both to benefit patients and to return significant shareholder value. We already have strong partnerships in China and in the Republic of Korea and this appointment is key to our future success for the development of our immunotherapy vaccines”

William Finch, CEO and Director at OVM, said:

“We are delighted to have been appointed to complete the proof of concept work on Oxford Vacmedix’s two lead immunotherapy cancer vaccines and look forward to a productive and beneficial partnership with Oxford Vacmedix. We are confident that we can support the continued growth and development of the company.”

Oxford Vacmedix UK Ltd, based on the Oxford Science Park, UK, is a bio-pharma company that utilizes the novel proprietary platform technology of recombinant overlapping peptides (ROPs) invented by Dr Shisong Jiang. ROPs have been validated as a technology to stimulate broad and strong T cell immunity therefore forming a good platform for cancer therapeutic vaccines and diagnostics. The company is a spin-out of the University of Oxford and has extensive contacts and collaborations in China through Changzhou Bioscience that is using the ROP platform in both diagnostics and adoptive cell therapy.